To define the diagnostic meaning of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (
ANCA) positivity in children, we analysed 1485 consecutive sera sent for ro
utine immunological investigation to our department from January to August
1996. Using this large screening, we identified the most typical clinical d
isorders associated with ANCA in childhood; Out of 1485 indirect immunofluo
rescence (IIF) tests for ANCA, 143 were ANCA positive, 70 had a cytoplasmic
IIF pattern (c-ANCA), and 73 a perinuclear IIF pattern (p-ANCA). The ANCA
associated diseases in childhood were cystic fibrosis (CF) (31 c-ANCA, 7 p-
ANCA positive out of 71 CF children investigated), juvenile chronic arthrit
is (JCA) (21 p-ANCA positive out of 78), auto-immune hepatitis (AIH) (4 c-A
NCA and 12 p-ANCA positive out of 19), and ulcerative colitis (UC) (2 c-ANC
A, 5 p-ANCA positive out of 15). In cases of c-ANCA positivity we determine
d the antigenic specificity of ANCA for proteinase 3 and/or bactericidal/pe
rmeability increasing protein. Borderline anti-proteinase 3 levels were fou
nd in CF, and in high levels in one boy with Wegener granulomatosis. Bacter
icidal/permeability increasing protein was characteristic target antigen in
children with CF. p-ANCA positive children were further tested for the spe
cificity for myeloperoxidase, which was detected mostly in children with JC
A.
Conclusion The spectrum of diseases associated with ANCA in children includ
es, besides the diagnostic associations typical for adults, several typical
pediatric entities, mainly juvenile chronic arthritis and cystic fibrosis.